What are the Options for Moving Internationally?
If you are looking to relocate internationally, there are two different types of shipments to consider for your items. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, and chances are you will want to use a combination of the two. Communicate with the international moving company that you have hired to discuss which type of shipment would be the most practical, and economical, for all of your belongings.
The first type is air freight. This involves moving your items by plane. Obviously this is the fastest method for shipment, but it is also the most expensive by far. You should reserve air shipment for small items that you will need immediately, such as clothing and identification, as moving your larger items are just not practical to ship this way. Also note, there will still be a fair amount of paperwork you will have to fill out if you choose air travel, but your international moving company should be able to help you with that process.
The next type of shipment is ocean freight, or moving your items by boat. While this is a much slower way to move your things, it is also far less expensive. Large items such as furniture, vehicles, and large appliances are better suited for ocean freight. In fact, you will have more options when you ship by boat than if you ship by air. You might be able to rent a container for your things, which provides a certain level of security to your shipment. You can either exclusively rent a container, or share a container with someone else. It might seem dangerous to share a container, but if you do not have enough items to fill an entire container, and are working on a limited budget, this is the best route to take.